Trace-carrier.



J: E. MOGONNELL.

TRACE CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV..13, 1909.

953,43 1 Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

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JOHN E. MGCONNELL, 0F PAXTON, NEBRASKA.

TRACE-CARRIER.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. MoCoNNELL, citizen of the United States, residing at Paxton, in the county of Keith and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trace-Carriers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to harness and more particularly to a trace carrier for holding the ends of traces when detached from a vehicle.

The object of the invention is to provide a comparatively simple and thoroughly efficient device of this character, the construction of whichis such as positively to prevent accidental detachment of the cock eye of the trace when in position on the carrier.

A further object is to provide a trace including spaced studs having tubular retaining members slidably mounted thereon and movable to a position above the studs to permit the attachment of the trace to the cockeye, said tubular members, when released, engaging the studs and serving to prevent ac cidental detachment of the trace.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices, so as to increase their utility, durability and efliciency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a trace carrier constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view showing the tubular retaining members in elevated posi tion to permit the attachment of the cock eye to the carrier; Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the trace locked in position on the carrier.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The trace carrier forming the subject mat- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 13, 1909.

Patented Mar. 29, 1910. Serial No. 527,877.

ter of the present invention comprises a body portion 5 of any suitable shape or configura tion and provided with a plurality of longitudinal and transverse bars 6 and 7 defining loops 8 for attachment to the back straps. Connecting the longitudinal bars 6 is an in termediate transverse bar 9 having spaced conical shaped studs 10 projecting vertically therefrom and adapted to enter the cock eye 11 of a trace 12 for the purpose of holding the trace in position when a draft animal is unhitched.

Interposed between the studs 10 and secured to or formed integral with the bar 9, is a vertical stud 13 to which is rigidly secured a guide bar 14:, the latter being prefer ably disposed parallel with the transverse bar 9 and having its opposite ends provided with openings 15 disposed in alinement with the studs 10, as shown. Slidably mounted on the studs 10 are tubular retaining members 16, the upper ends of which pass through the openings 15, while their lower ends are provided with conical shaped sockets 17 adapted to receive and frictionally engage the conical portions of the studs 10. Each retaining member 16 is provided with a laterally extending finger piece 18, by means of which said member may be raised and lowered manually to permit the attachment of the cock eye to or the detachment of said cock eye from the adjacent stud 10. Thus it will be seen that by grasping the trace 12 in the hand and pressing the cock eye 11 against the under face of the finger piece 18 of one of the tubular members 16,

said tubular member may be elevated until the upper or reduced end of the adjacent stud is exposed when the cock eye 11 may be readily positioned over said stud. After the cock eye is in position on the stud of the carrier, the tubular member is moved to lowered position with the socket 17 thereof embracing the conical portion of the stud, and in which position the cock eye is effectually retained on the carrier between the transverse bar 9 and tubular member 16.

It is obvious that by pressing upwardly 0n the trace, the cock eye, by engagement with the finger piece 18, will elevate the adjacent tubular member 16 so as to permit the ready detachment of the trace, when desired.

Attention is here called to the fact that the inclination of the walls of the socket 17 conform to the shape of the walls of the studs 10 so that when the tubular members are moved to lowered or operative position, a frictional engagement between the parts will ensue with the result that the tubular members 16 will be temporarily locked in operative position and thus prevent accidental detachment of the traces, incident to any olting of the draft animal. It will of course be understood that the frictional en gagement between the studs 10 and socket 17 will be slight so that the tubular members may be readily moved to elevated position when a slight upward pressure is exerted on the finger piece 18. It will also be noted that the conical portions of the studs 10 terminate short of the upper surface of the transverse bar 9 so as to limit the downward movement of the tubular members 16 and thus prevent binding or wedging action of said tubular members on the cock eye of the trace.

While the device is principally designed for supporting traces when detached from a vehicle, it will of course be understood that the same may be used with equally good results on whitlletrees, collars or wherever a connection of this character is found desirable or applicable.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A trace carrier including a body portion having an upstanding stud adapted to engage the cock eye of a trace, and a tubular member slidably mounted on said stud and movable to a position above the top of the stud to permit the attachment of said cock eye.

2. -A trace carrier including a body portion having a conical stud secured thereto for engagement with the cock eye of a trace, and a tubular member slidably mounted on said stud and provided with a conical shaped socket adapted to receive the stud.

3. A trace carrier including a body portion having an upstanding stud adapted to receive the cock eye of a trace, and a tubular member slidably mounted on the stud and provided with a laterally extending finger piece, said tubular member being movable to a posit-ion above the top of the stud to permit the attachment of said cock eye.

4;. A trace carrier including a body portion having spaced upstanding studs, a guide bar interposed between said studs and provided with openings, and tubular members slidably mounted in the openings in the guide bar and provided with sockets for the reception of the studs.

5. A trace carrier including a body portion having spaced upstanding conical studs for engagement with the cock eye of a trace, a guide bar interposed between the studs and provided with openings, tubular membershaving their lower ends provided with conical shaped sockets adapted to receive the studs, and their upper ends slidably mounted in the openings 1n the guide bar, and finger pleces extending laterally from the tubular members, said tubular members being held in operative position by trictional engagement wit-h the walls of the studs.

6. A trace carrier comprising a body portion having spaced upstanding studs, the lower portions of which are cylindrical and the upper portions thereof tapered, a guide bar interposed between the studs and provided with openings, and tubular members having tapered sockets adapted to receive the tapered portions of the SCUClS, said tubular members being slidably mounted in the openings in the guide bar and provided with laterally extending finger pieces.

7. A trace carrier having a plurality of transversely and longitudinally disposed strap receiving loops, a transverse bar connecting the longitudinal loops and provided with spaced conical shaped studs, a lug secured to the bar between said studs, a transverse bar carried by the lug and provided with openings arranged above the studs, and tubular members having their lower ends provided with sockets tor the reception of the studs and their upper ends slidably mounted in the openings in the guide bar, said tubular members being provided with laterally extending finger pieces.

8. A trace carrier including a body portion having an upstanding stud adapted to engage the cock eye oi a. trace, a guide, and a hollow member slidably mounted in the guide and movable to inoperative position above the free end of the stud to permit the cock eye to be passed thercover, and to op erative position in engagement with the stud to prevent accidental displacement of said cock eye.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. MCCONNELL. [Ls] Vitnesses C. E. CUNNINGHAM,

T. J. AnAus. 

